Disney Magic named best large cruise ship by Condé Nast Traveler readers

DISNEY

The Disney Magic is the first Disney Cruise Line ship, debuting in 1998.

The Disney Magic is the first Disney Cruise Line ship, debuting in 1998. (DISNEY)

Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel

Disney Cruise Line was among the top honors in the 2013 readers' poll for Top Cruise Ships in the World. The line's oldest ship, the Disney Magic, was named the No. 1 Large Cruise Ship, one of four categories in the poll results released today.

Two of the line's other three ships also placed in the top with with the Disney Wonder at No. 2 and Disney Dream at No. 3. The new Disney Fantasy ranked 8th.

"Overall, our readers think all three ships are excellent," said John Newton, the magazine's Service and Surveys Editor. "The scores of the Disney Dream and the Disney Magic are separated by only 0.4 points. In 2011, the Disney Dream and the Disney Wonder were tied, at 88.8. This year the Disney Wonder scored 0.1 higher than the Dream...As for the Disney Fantasy, by next year more of our readers will have experienced the ship and we will have a larger sample of responses."

Disney Cruise Line always ranks well in the Condé Nast Traveler reader polls. The Magic was named best cruise ship and the cruise line was named best overall in 2012.

"The place where the Disney Magic excels compared to its sister ships is in itineraries," Newton said. "It received a 91.6, to the Wonder's 87.6 and the Dream's 80.1. Many of our readers are interested in Mediterranean cruises, and the Magic offers itineraries in the Mediterranean which helps explain, at least in part, why it scores better in that category."

The Magic was built in 1998 and spent years sailing out of Port Canaveral before migrating about the last couple of years. The Magic is currently sailing out of the port of Galveston, but will reposition to Europe this summer and undergo a dry dock refurbishment before returning stateside to PortMiami in the fall.

"We're thrilled that the experiences our cast and crew members deliver at sea continue to be recognized as outstanding by our guests," said Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz.

Other winners in the polls were the Grand Circle Arethusa for best small cruise ship, Crystal Symphony for best medium cruise ship and Grand Circle Provence for best river cruise ship.

Farther down the large ship category, Celebrity Eclipse came in 4th, Celebrity Equinox 5th, the Queen Mary 2 6th, Celebrity Solstice 7th followed by the Fantasy at 8th, Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas 9th and Princess Cruises' Emerald Princess rounding out the top 10.